More Than 50 Killed, 100 Injured in Terrorist Attack on Police Academy

Quetta, Pakistan (Guardian) – At least 59 people have died and more than 110 were injured after a team of heavily armed suicide attackers stormed a police training academy in the Pakistani city of Quetta.

The government said three gunmen attacked the Balochistan police college on the outskirts of the capital of Balochistan province at about 11.20pm local time on Monday, killing two guards on the front gate and then making straight for the hostel where 700 cadets were sleeping.

Peer Jan Naeem, 23, said he and his fellow cadets were “left at the mercy of Allah”.

“They were carrying Kalashnikovs and firing blindly and throwing hand grenades,” he said. “No one was there to help us so we fell to the ground and hid beneath our beds.” One of the militants shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) before detonating his suicide vest, he said.

Officials said most of the deaths were caused by two suicide blasts, with the third attacker shot dead before he could blow himself up. Many of the cadets sustained injuries after jumping out of windows to escape.

Islamic State released a statement on its Amaq news agency claiming responsibility. The statement included a picture of three men brandishing assault rifles and wearing what appeared to be bomb vests.

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